Finger cup



S. ABRAMSON Jan. 30, 1951 FINGER CUP Filed 001;. 2, 1948 INVENTOR. $0M HBRHMSOIW ATTORIVEK Patented Jan. 30, 1951 UNITED STATES RDATENT OFFICE FINGER CUP Sam Abramson, Detroit, Mich.

Application October 2, 1948, Serial No. 52,489

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a cup construction and more particularly to a disposable cup provided with a ring or other means for effectively mounting and maintaining said cup upon the users finger.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide a disposable cup-like container with a ring or other adjustable means to fit the users finger, made preferably of a water-proofed paper.

It is the object of this invention to provide a cup including means for supporting the same upon a dentists finger, with the cup to contain a cleaning and polishing paste for use particularly in dental prophylaxis.

It is the object of this invention to provide such a cup-like container which gives easy access to the paste used at the same time leaving the operator free use of his hands.

It is the object of this invention to provide a sanitary container which is individually sealed with a suitable cover, and being disposable assures the patient of complete sanitation.

It is the object of this invention to provide a cup-like container and an integral finger receiving and retaining element adjustable to the size of the finger upon which it is mounted, said container and finger retaining element being constructed entirely of paper or the equivalent.

It is the further object of this invention to provide a cup-like container together with a flexible cord or other similar means depending from said container and which is adapted to be tied around the users finger for maintaining such container in an upright position.

These and other objects will be seen from the following specification and claims in conjunction with the appended drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the cuplike container mounted upon the users finger.

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the container and its finger engaging element.

Figure 3 is a plan view thereof.

Figure 4 is an elevational section on line 6-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of a variation in the container construction.

Figure 6 is a front elevational view thereof.

Figure 7 is a plan section on line 1-1 of Fi ure 5.

Figure 8 is an elevational section of a slightly different form of container and finger mounting element; and

Figure 9 is a plan view thereof.

It will be understood that the above drawing illustrates several preferred embodiments of the invention, and that other embodiments are contemplated within the scope of the claims here after set out.

Referring to the drawing Figure 1 illustrates the cup-like container as it would normally be mounted upon the users finger.

As shown in Figure 2 the device includes a hollow cup-like container if provided adjacent its upper open end with an annular recess l2 of slightly increased diameter to retainingly receive the removable cap or cover 13, Figure 4.

Said cover includes the normally horizontal lifting tab l4 Figure 3 which may be manually tilted from the normal position shown in Figure 4 to permit removal of said cap. The presence of cap l3 assures that the interior of container H will be perfectly sanitary as and when used.

A ring-shaped element including the arcuately formed over-lapping members l5 and i6 is positioned centrally below container II and may be an integral part of said container, as in the embodiment shown in Figures 5 and 6 hereafter described, or on the other hand may be secured to container I! by some suitable means as for instance a staple or by the rivet ll shown in Figures 2 and 4.

Said rivet is adapted to project through corresponding central portions of ring element l5--l6 and the bottom surface N3 of container H, to effectively retain said supporting ring-with respect thereto.

Both the cup I l and the ring element are preferably constructed of a waterproofed paper or similar substance; are consequently of low cost and thus may be disposed of after one use.

The ring-shaped element i5-I6 could be constructed as a unitary ring element of average size if desired. However, it has been found preferable to provide this ring with its ends overlapped as shown in Figure 2 thereby giving the same an inherent resiliency. Consequently the container 4 l will not only fit any size finger being expansible, but at the same time is sufi'iciently resilient as to grip the finger to retain the container substantially stationary thereon.

It is contemplated that the ring-shaped element |5-l6 could be secured to container H in any other desirable manner. such as by cementing or gluing.

A slightly different form of finger mounting is shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 wherein the container l9 has a pair of arcuately formed downwardly extending finger-engaging clips 20, also constructed preferably of a waterproof paper or similar substance.

As shown in Figures 5 and 7 the clips 20 initially form a part of the container bottom 2| but are cut out therefrom as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 7, being bent downwardl and formed to the shape shown in Figures 5 and 6.

As this construction would leave a pair of slotted openings in the bottom of the container 19, a suitable closure or cover is provided by means of the disc-shaped element 22 which is snugly positioned within container 19 to rest upon the container bottom 2! as illustrated in Figure 5.

The clips 20 have the same resilient characteristics described above with respect to the ring shaped element l5 and 6, being expandable to the size of the finger and resiliently engaging the same to effectively retain the container thereon.

A slight variation in the means for securing the container upon users finger is shown in Figures 8 and 9 wherein the container 23 preferably constructed of a waterproof paper or similar substance as a pair of spaced circular openings 24 formed within its bottom wall 25 and through which extends a flexible tying cord or twistable element 26.

Element 26 is preferably a fabric or cord reinforced by a central stiffening wire 21 which extends throughout the length of the cord 26, whereby said cord once Wound below the finger as indicated at 28 will stay so Wound as to effectively retain container 23 upon the users finger.

Having described my invention reference should now be had to the claims which follow for determining the scope thereof.

I claim:

1-. In combination, a hollow cup-shaped paper container, having a pair of openings in its bottom surface, and a wire stifiened cord extending through said openings with its ends projecting downwardly to permit tying thereof around the users finger upon which said container is mounted.

2. In combination, a hollow cup-shaped paper container, having a pair of openings in its bottom surface, and a resilient cord extending through said openings with its ends projecting downwardly to permit tying thereof around the users finger upon which said container is mounted.

3. In combination, a hollow cup-shaped paper container, having a pair of openings in its bottom surface, and a flexible fabric covered wire extending through said openings with its ends projecting downwardly to permit tying thereof around the users finger upon which said container is mounted.

SAM ABRAMSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 219,445 Coleman Sept.9, 1879 538,110 Hellings Apr. 23, 1895 2,222,741 Bush Nov. 26, 1940 2,356,722 I-Iarris Aug. 22, 1944 

